Posts Tagged ‘cars’

I find myself being asked about Edward Herrmann, who died on Dec. 31. Besides his extensive acting credits, people forget that Edward was spokesman for Dodge in the 1990s–the long-running, successful campaign with the tagline “The New Dodge. We’ve changed everything.”

Fifteen years ago this month, when I was a copywriter for Dodge’s marketing communications agency, I went to Salisbury, Connecticut, with my art director partner Lori Soenen to interview Edward and get a portrait for our planned cover story for the Dodge owners’ magazine, which I edited.

Edward and his wife Star had just returned home on a red-eye flight after the six-week run of a play Edward did at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

His mother was ill. There was record cold.

Yet they gave us two full days of their time, opened their home to our crew, provided a catered breakfast and lunch, took Lori and me to dinner at the White Hart and insisted on paying the tab. (I remember him striding, refreshed, into the kitchen on the second morning and declaring to all of us, “I’ve got my libido back!”)

Edward told me the Dodge part was “big” for them, and probably as the result he had been able to build what he called “a man’s garage” for his collectible cars: an Aston Martin, a Packard, Rolls-Royce…I think there were five. He posed before it, standing outside in the snow, no matter that it was 10 degrees. Whatever we asked of him. And always he kept up a good-natured patter.

Among his many points of erudition, the guy could recite automotive history up and down. He was very well acquainted throughout the car hobby. In fact, for some years, he emceed the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Edward at Pebble Beach. Photo from AutoWeek, Sep. 4, 2000.

I’m most privileged to have known him. I saw him again in 2011, at David E.’s memorial service, and had the chance to gain absolution for something terrible that happened.

After all the trouble he and Star had gone to for us, for the agency, the client killed our story, and the matter was handled disgracefully. As it turned out, our timing for the cover story couldn’t have been worse. What we didn’t know was that Dodge was finished with Edward as spokesman. Classy and cerebral was out.

The New Dodge campaign was succeeded by Aerosmith and the ridiculous, short-lived Mayor of Truckville.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,300 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Summary: Breathtakingly good looking, comfortable to sit in (once you collapse butt-first over the sill), great interior layout with trim that can be as tasteful or garish as you please. The car drives like a peach around town but unleashes real fury on the track.

Better than: Skydiving, a threesome in Vegas, and maybe any other Lamborghini

Ducati Monster 1200 S

Where: Palms to Pines Highway (twice)

When: April

Summary: The established motorcycle press seems to think the new Monster 1200 S is too big and unwieldy, but Ducati says owners had asked for more room for a passenger. Those overindulged journalistic geniuses are splitting hairs awfully thin. This bike fascinated me. There is so little chassis, for one thing. (Someone labeled the overall design “cyborg insect.”) And the 1.2-liter V-twin has immense soul.

What Molly says: “It doesn’t smell as good as a those biscuits you get me at Trader Joe’s, but I still wish I could go for a ride.”

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

Where: Borrego Springs, California

When: September

Summary: The last variant of a great design. Its age admittedly shows. For example, the oval headlamp openings. Yet it’s bewitching. It makes me drool. And the very idea of such a short wheelbase and a 6.0-liter V-12 is purely outrageous. When you’re happy and you know it, close the top.

Summary: Honda U.K. let me borrow it for a little tour of the Isle of Man and a trip over the Mountain Course. I returned it with almost no gas in the tank. Sorry, Honda, but thanks for the great time on a bike with a brilliant V-four powerplant and a dual-clutch automatic transmission that was always in the right gear.

Better than: Italian beer being on tap in public houses, the Isle’s “financial services” industry, perhaps most other motorcycles in the class

Toyota Camry

Where: Big Island, Hawaii

When: September

Summary: Toyota put a big effort into revising its popular midsize sedan. The new face has attitude. There are additional features inside. Nothing changes under the hood. Still, it’s such a value, and I enjoyed driving the XSE way more than expected. It’s about as good as a front-wheel-drive car can be.

Summary: A most pleasant surprise. The turbocharged 1.4-liter engine performs great in all situations. And the cabin is quiet!

Better than: Sitting down low and being unable to see ahead

Yamaha FZ-09

Where: North Palm Springs, California

When: December

Summary: The 847cc three-cylinder engine kicks ass. And the bike’s price of $8190 is hardly believable. Yamaha’s pushing the right buttons.

Better than: Either Yamaha I bought new.

Volkswagen e-Golf

Where: Berlin

When: March

Summary: Multi-mode electric driving without the geek factor of a Leaf or Prius. And built on the same line and in sequence with other Golf models, it’s a manufacturing triumph, as well.

Better than: a-b-c-d Golfs

Cadillac ATS Coupe

High Roller

Delivering the Ducati

Chevrolet Silverado at dawn

Chevrolet Silverado at dawn II

The outgoing Aston

Harley-Davidson Project LiveWire

Where: Downtown Los Angeles

When: October

Summary: Think they’re sitting on some engineering talent at the Motor Company? Project LiveWire presents us with a highly refined electric motorcycle. Hey, this is only a prototype. Not only is the electric powertrain well integrated, but the design is nicely conceived (although the rearview mirrors weren’t too effective).

What I found myself saying when leaning slightly forward streetfighter-style over the straight bars and riding away from the L.A. Convention Center: “This is a Harley?”

Better than: Being locked inside a limo with Miley Cyrus

Mini Cooper Hardtop 4 Door

Where: Henley-on-Thames, England

When: September

Summary: What Jeep did with a four-door Wrangler, Mini Cooper is doing with its new 4 Door. It makes perfect sense to offer rear doors—a first for Mini—and add functionality for those who want to nevertheless express their individuality. It still drives great. And I like the way looks. Nice job, Mini!

Better than: A lot of Maxi cars

Indian Chief Vintage

Where: Long Beach, California

When: March

Summary: It almost makes me a believer in 800-pound motorcycles. The bike is stable in a crosswind, and the ride over choppy pavement is equanimous. Coming home from Long Beach at night, I had the sense that other vehicles were aware of my presence because of the bike’s size and ample lighting. It cruised ever-so-relaxed at 80 mph and 3000 rpm. All the custom flourishes charmed me, even when I was just seeing it in my garage.

Better than: Motorcycles without whitewall tires

BMW i8

Where: South Haven, Michigan

When: October

Summary: A turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine teaming with an electric motor to power a supersports ultraluxury car with swan-wing doors is just what the world needed, and BMW gives it to us–a rare, fine thing for $136,650.

Better than: Every car that lacks a sound symposer

Ducati Scrambler

Where: Palms to Pines Highway

When: December

Summary: As the Monster increases in size, capability, and price, Ducati seeks a new generation of buyers with the Scrambler. The Scrambler Icon, seen here, is $8495. Another $1500 gives the choice among Classic, Full Throttle, and Urban Enduro models. The gas tank’s accent panel can be individualized (red and green checks, anyone?) and a panoply of saddlebags and apparel make this bike a means of personal expression.

Better than: A whole album of fuzzed out guitar riffs, a maxi scooter, your next tattoo

Chevrolet Silverado

Where: In my driveway now

Why: To haul bags of mortar mix, a load of fill sand, and maybe a motorcycle

Summary: This is the fourth General Motors pickup I’ve driven this year. Whether GMC or Chevy, heavy- or light duty, they’re so useful (and more efficient than you might think). Even though they’re a handful in the supermarket’s parking lot (backup cams are definitely a help, though) I desperately want one. What’s cool about the Silverado: LED lamp for the cargo box, integrated bumper step, EZ Lift-and-Lower tailgate that drops gradually.

Better than: Listening to a hoarse whisperer, a weekend in Woonsocket, a midsize pickup

South Haven, Mich.—At breakfast this morning in Captain Nemo’s restaurant, I overheard the talk of two men, one of whom had already distinguished himself by saying, “You can use every bit of a hog but the squeal.” In fact, he did most of the talking. But late in the session, the other one listed his pet peeves:

Socks with open-toe sandals

Low-powered motor scooters on the highway

Motorcycles towing trailers (“If you need that much shit, get a convertible.”)

Then he told of the ultimate. He had seen a low-powered motor scooter going 30 mph on the highway, towing a trailer, and the rider wore sandals and socks.

On March 23, 2013, making his second-ever start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Dakoda Armstrong finished 15th in the Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway.

Q. Fifteenth position—pretty good for your second race.

A. Yeah, I mean, we were better than that, but we were struggling on restarts there. I think we restarted ninth on that last one. Those people that had new tires behind us—you get stuck three-wide between everybody, and it’s really hard to get this thing to handle right. You get spread out. We just lost too much ground there to make up. We were hoping another caution was going to come out so we could come back in and use our last set of tires. Everyone else that took them was going to be sitting ducks. Didn’t work out that way.

Q. Overall was it fun or frustrating?

A. For a while there it was fun. I thought we were getting it, and I thought we were going to have a good finish. I’ve just got to get my restarts down and figure out what it needs on those.